An Escondido apartment fire Tuesday evening ravaged the small headquarters of a fledgling bird sanctuary, but the six animals in the home were unhurt.

"That's what really matters," said Don Scott, the apartment's 56-year-old resident, who in late 2008 founded the nonprofit Chloe Sanctuary for parrots and cockatoos.

However, Scott said the fire has set back his efforts to expand the rescue group. The self-employed mobile computer repairman said he founded the group after he took home Chloe, a Greater Sulfur Crested cockatoo that a Spring Valley family had been thinking of setting free.

"She would have died if they'd done that," he said.

He realized later that the family's plan for the unwanted pet was too common. Though he hadn't had birds since he was a child, he began taking courses and reading everything he could about their care.

Scott said he's spent all his free time building the nonprofit over the past year, with a goal of eventually finding a permanent facility and recruiting enough volunteers to help about 100 birds a year. So far, the group has helped save and place 42 animals, he said. Each gets a $300 vet visit, a good diet and love.

Tuesday's fire destroyed a computer storing all of the sanctuary's data, Scott said. It also destroyed six bird cages valued at about $5,000, not to mention Scott's own possessions, he said.

He didn't have insurance.

Scott said he was home Tuesday about 6 p.m. when he began to smell smoke, but couldn't find its source. With his phone in one hand, talking to the 911 dispatcher, he hurried to transfer five large cockatoos and one Congo African Gray parrot from their commodious cages into portable ones, he said.

He loaded the birds into his Prius in the parking lot, while firefighters attacked the flames.

Escondido fire officials said an electrical fire sparked combustible material in the apartment.

Officials said people should be careful about keeping anything that can catch fire near an outlet.

Scott said the combustible material in his case was sound-proofing that lined the walls out of consideration for neighbors.

On Wednesday, sanctuary volunteers helped Scott set up a new home at the apartment complex.

The birds squawked for attention in some donated cages, which Scott said are smaller than their old homes and not adequate in the long run.

Cockatoos and parrots are popular pet birds, but they are loud and need lots of stimulation and affection, Scott said.

"They're like monkeys with wings," he said.

Scott said he offers "parenting classes" to people who want to learn how to understand and control the birds' behavior. The nonprofit also accepts birds that need placement in more suitable homes and trains volunteers who want to help care for them.

For more information or to help, visit http://chloesanctuary.org.

Call staff writer Sarah Gordon at 760-740-3517.